Jamaica - Travel Guide and Latest News | TravelPulse Last updated: 03:16 PM ET, Sun January 15 2017 Jamaica Destinations Home | Caribbean About The warm Caribbean winds of Jamaica are infused with more than just sunshine and reggae. Jamaica consists of a colorful mosaic made up of sugary beaches, friendly faces, natural wonders and diverse cuisine. Whether seeking serene relaxation or unbridled adventure, this is an island destination worth taking the time to explore. Jamaica is divided into three historic counties -- Middlesex, Surrey and Cornwall. Fourteen parishes are divided between these three counties, which have no real administrative relevance. Jamaica’s capital city Kingston, as well as Montego Bay, Negril and Ocho Rios, are the most-visited destinations on the island. Located on the southeastern coast, Kingston is a bustling city (the largest on the island) most famously known for its many reggae nightclubs and the Bob Marley Museum. Loaded with all-inclusive resorts, duty-free shopping and the seaside hip strip, Gloucester Avenue, Montego Bay in Cornwall County is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the Caribbean.

Negril is known for its seven miles of white sand beaches and laidback atmosphere. Ocho Rios, sitting on Jamaica’s northern coast, is home to both large resorts and smaller family-run hotels. Vacationers come here for the natural falls and world-class scuba diving. With borrowed ingredients from the far reaches of the world, Jamaican cuisine is a vibrant blend of spices and fresh, sustainable products. With a countless array of fine dining establishment and roadside jerk huts, the gastronomy of Jamaica offers much more than the national dish of ackee and salt fish. For a truly Caribbean dining experience in Ocho Rios, check out the Almond Tree Restaurant (there’s an actual tree growing through the roof) for the lobster thermidor or roast suckling pig. For an upscale restaurant with international flair, try the Palm Court in the Kingston Hilton. For famous Jamaican jerk chicken and pork right on the beach, head over to the Pork Pit in Montego Bay. This casual lunchtime favorite of both locals and tourists is the perfect spot to settle down with a Red Stripe and plate of island-spiced meats.

Jamaica’s two largest airports are Norman Manley International Airport (KIN) in Kingston, and Donald Sangster International Airport (MBJ) in Montego Bay. Both of these airports serve major airlines and connect to smaller airports in other parts of the island, such as Negril and Ocho Rios. As one of the most popular cruise ship destinations in the Caribbean, Jamaica has three cruise ports which all lie along the northern coast. Montego Bay’s port, known as Freeport, is just outside the city and is teeming with shuttles, taxis and buses to take tourists on the five-minute ride into the heart of the city. Ocho Rios is the busiest of the ports and is only a five-minute walk into town. Though Port Antonio can only accommodate smaller ships, it’s the ideal cruise stop to explore the nearby Blue Mountains. For navigating around the island, local buses and licensed taxis are the best bet. With little seasonal variation, Jamaica has a tropical climate that produces warm weather year-round. Though temperatures are slightly cooler in areas with higher elevations, the majority of the island has an annual average temperature of around 82° F (though it can easily reach well into the 90s).

Rainy season can occur any time between June and November, though the wettest months tends to be September and October. Although Jamaica has a notoriously humid climate, relief comes in the form of trade winds that can cool off the sometimes oppressive heat. Peak season is during the winter months (December to April), as this is when the temperature drops a few degrees and crowds (and prices) tend to swell in most tourist-friendly areas of the island. Find A Destination An Introduction to the History and Geography of Jamaica | Kibin An Introduction to the History and Geography of Jamaica Sign Up & Access Essays Already a member? Login here Pages: 13 This preview is partially blurred. Sign up to view the full document. Sign Up & Access Essays Already a member? Login here End of preview Upgrade to view the full document This is an unformatted preview.

Sign up to view the full document End of preview Upgrade to view the full document The island of is the third largest Caribbean island It is ina group of islands called the greater antilles It has an area of 10 991km squared or 4 244 sq miles spans 230 km east to west and from80-36 from north to south It is third only to Cuba which is the largestand Hispaniola which is the second largest island Jamaica lies in theCaribbean sea which is a part of the much larger Atlantic ocean Theisland is 960 km south of Florida 160 km southwest of Haiti and 140 kmsouth of Cuba Jamaica is mainly a mountainous island but there are 320 km of finesandy beaches swamps moist fern- forests sprawling open plains plateausrushing rivers and magnificent waterfalls The Blue Mountains are thehighest mountains in Jamaica and Blue Mountain Peak which is the highestpeak in Jamaica rises to 2256 m or 7 402 feet They are made up primarilyof limestone Farther to the west in the cockpit country the limestone haseroded over many years to form large depressions narrow valleysunderground caverns and rivers Most

 of the surface rivers are short swiftflowing and descend quickly to the coast and consist of a series of rapidsand waterfalls The island is ringed by plains separated by mountain andsea The country is divided into three counties They are Cornwall to thewest Middlesex is central and Surrey is to the east Middlesex is thelargest county Jamaica is also divided into 14 parishes which arebasically like provinces or states The parishes are Kingston St AndrewSt Thomas Portland St Mary St Ann Trelawny St James HanoverWestmoreland St Elizabeth Manchester Clarendon and St Catherine Jamaica is mainly a tropical climate During the course of the yearJamaica has no real winter whatsoever The average yearly temperatureranges from 27 degrees celsius to 32 degrees celsius It is cooler inhills around 20 to 25 degrees and it is known to dip below 10 degrees inthe blue mountains Although it is @Kibin is a lifesaver for my essay right now!!

- Sandra Slivka, student @ UC Berkeley Wow, this is the best essay help I've ever received! - Camvu Pham, student @ U of M If I'd known about @Kibin in college, I would have gotten much more sleep - Jen Soust, alumni @ UCLA Articles The warm Caribbean winds of Jamaica are infused with more than just sunshine and reggae. Jamaica travel consists of a colorful mosaic made up of sugary beaches, friendly faces, natural wonders and diverse cuisine. Whether seeking serene relaxation or unbridled adventure, this is an island destination worth taking the time to explore. Jamaica is divided into three historic counties -- Middlesex, Surrey and Cornwall. Fourteen parishes are divided between these three counties, which have no real administrative relevance. Jamaica’s capital city Kingston, as well as Montego Bay , Negril and Ocho Rios, are the most-visited destinations on the island. Located on the southeastern coast, Kingston is a bustling city (the largest on the island) most famously known for its many reggae nightclubs and the Bob Marley Museum.

Loaded with all-inclusive resorts, duty-free shopping and the seaside hip strip, Gloucester Avenue, Montego Bay in Cornwall County is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the Caribbean. Negril is known for its seven miles of white sand beaches and laidback atmosphere. Ocho Rios, sitting on Jamaica’s northern coast, is home to both large resorts and smaller family-run hotels. Vacationers come here for the natural falls and world-class scuba diving. With borrowed ingredients from the far reaches of the world, Jamaican cuisine is a vibrant blend of spices and fresh, sustainable products. With a countless array of fine dining establishment and roadside jerk huts, the gastronomy of Jamaica offers much more than the national dish of ackee and salt fish. For a truly Caribbean dining experience in Ocho Rios, check out the Almond Tree Restaurant (there’s an actual tree growing through the roof) for the lobster thermidor or roast suckling pig. For an upscale restaurant with international flair, try the Palm Court in the Kingston Hilton. For famous Jamaican jerk chicken and pork right on the beach, head over to the Pork Pit in Montego Bay.

This casual lunchtime favorite of both locals and tourists is the perfect spot to settle down with a Red Stripe and plate of island-spiced meats. Jamaica’s two largest airports are Norman Manley International Airport (KIN) in Kingston, and Donald Sangster International Airport (MBJ) in Montego Bay. Both of these airports serve international carriers and connect to smaller airports in other parts of the island, such as Negril and Ocho Rios. As one of the most popular cruise destinations in the Caribbean, Jamaica has three cruise ports which all lie along the northern coast. Montego Bay’s port, known as Freeport, is just outside the city and is teeming with shuttles, taxis and buses to take tourists on the five-minute ride into the heart of the city. Ocho Rios is the busiest of the ports and is only a five-minute walk into town. Though Port Antonio can only accommodate smaller ships, it’s the ideal cruise stop to explore the nearby Blue Mountains. For navigating around the island, local buses and licensed taxis are the best bet. With little seasonal variation, Jamaica has a tropical climate that produces warm weather year-round.

Though temperatures are slightly cooler in areas with higher elevations, the majority of the island has an annual average temperature of around 82° F (though it can easily reach well into the 90s). Rainy season can occur any time between June and November, though the wettest months tends to be September and October. Although Jamaica has a notoriously humid climate, relief comes in the form of trade winds that can cool off the sometimes oppressive heat. Peak season is during the winter months (December to April), as this is when the temperature drops a few degrees and crowds (and prices) tend to swell in most tourist-friendly areas of the island. EN Wikipedia URL A county is a geographical region of a country used for administrative or other purposes, in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French conté or cunté denoting a jurisdiction under the sovereignty of a count ( earl ) or a viscount . The modern French is comté, and its equivalents in other languages are contea, contado, comtat, condado, Grafschaft, graafschap, Gau, etc. (cf. conte , comte, conde, Graf ). When the Normans conquered England , they brought the term with them.

The Saxons had already established the districts that became the historic counties of England , calling them shires [2] (many county names derive from the name of the county town with the word "shire" added on: for example, Gloucestershire and Worcestershire ). [3] The Vikings introduced the term earl (from Old Norse, jarl) to the British Isles. Thus, "earl" and "earldom" were taken as equivalent to the continental use of "count" and "county". So the later-imported term became a synonym for the native English word scir ([ʃiːr]) or, in Modern English , shire. Since a shire was an administrative division of the kingdom, the term "county" evolved to designate an administrative division of national government in most modern uses. A county may be further subdivided into districts, hundreds , townships or other administrative jurisdictions within the county. A county usually, but not always, contains cities , towns , townships , villages , or other municipal corporations. Depending on the nation, municipalities may or may not be subject to direct or indirect county control.

Outside English-speaking countries, an equivalent of the term "county" is often used to describe sub-national jurisdictions that are structurally equivalent to counties in the relationship they have with their national government; but which may not be administratively equivalent to counties in predominantly English-speaking countries. Argentina Provinces in Argentina are divided into departments (departamentos), except in the Buenos Aires Province , where they are called partidos . The Autonomous City of Buenos Aires is divided into communes (comunas). Australia In the eastern states of Australia , counties are used in the administration of land titles . They do not generally correspond to a level of government, but are used in the identification of parcels of land. Canada Canada's five oldest provinces – New Brunswick , Nova Scotia , Ontario , Quebec and Prince Edward Island – are divided into counties. In addition to counties, Ontario is also subdivided into territorial districts, district municipalities, metropolitan municipalities, and regional municipalities. British Columbia , Manitoba , Newfoundland and Labrador , Northwest Territories , Nunavut , Saskatchewan , and Yukon use municipalities as regional subdivisions.

In Alberta , a county used to be a type of municipal status; but this was changed to " municipal district " under the Municipal Government Act, when the County Act was repealed in the mid-1990s. County or municipal district in an Alberta municipality's name now refers to the same rural municipality status (not a level of government between a municipality and the province). [4] People's Republic of China The word "county" is used to translate the Chinese term xiàn (县 or 縣). In Mainland China , governed by the People's Republic of China (PRC), counties are the third level of local government, coming under both the province level and the prefecture level . There are 1,464 counties in the PRC out of a total of 2,862 county-level divisions. The number of counties has remained more or less constant since the Han dynasty (206 BC–AD 220). The county remains one of the oldest levels of government in China and significantly predates the establishment of provinces in the Yuan dynasty (1279–1368). The county government was particularly important in imperial China because this was the lowest layer at which the imperial government functioned.

The head of a county during imperial times was the magistrate . In older context, "prefecture" and "district" are alternative terms to refer to xiàn before the establishment of the Republic of China (ROC). The English nomenclature "county" was adopted following the establishment of the ROC. Contrary to the typical rural location of a county in Western countries, a city in China may enclose several counties. In this sense, a county is similar to a district of a city. In the 19th century, Shanghai was a county of the city of Songjiang, but today, Songjiang is a district of the city of Shanghai. Denmark Denmark was divided into counties (amter) from 1662 to 2006. On 1 January 2007 the counties were replaced by five Regions . At the same time, the number of municipalities was slashed to 98. The counties were first introduced in 1662, replacing the 49 fiefs (len) in Denmark–Norway with the same number of counties. This number does not include the subdivisions of the Duchy of Schleswig , which was only under partial Danish control.

The number of counties in Denmark (excluding Norway) had dropped to c. 20 by 1793. Following the reunification of South Jutland with Denmark in 1920, four counties replaced the Prussian Kreise . Aabenraa and Sønderborg County merged in 1932 and Skanderborg and Aarhus were separated in 1942. From 1942 to 1970, the number stayed at 22. [5] The number was further decreased by the 1970 Danish municipal reform, leaving 14 counties plus two cities unconnected to the county structure; Copenhagen and Frederiksberg . In 2003, Bornholm County merged with the local five municipalities, forming the Bornholm Regional Municipality . The remaining 13 counties were abolished on 1 January 2007 where they were replaced by five new regions. In the same reform, the number of municipalities was slashed from 270 to 98 and all municipalities now belong to a region. France A comté was a territory ruled by a count (comte) in medieval France.

In modern France, the rough equivalent of a "county" as used in many English-speaking countries is a department . Germany For the situation in Germany compare Kreise . Each administrative district consists of an elected council and an executive, and whose duties are comparable to those of a county executive in the United States, supervising local government administration. Hungary The administrative unit of Hungary is called megye (historically, they were also called vármegye , or comitatus in Latin ), which can be translated with the word county. The 19 counties constitute the highest level of the administrative subdivisions of the country together with the capital city Budapest, although counties and the capital are grouped into seven statistical regions. Counties are subdivided to municipalities, the two types of which are towns and villages, each one having their own elected mayor and council. 23 of the towns have the rights of a county although they do not form independent territorial units equal to counties. Municipalities are grouped within counties into subregions (kistérség in Hungarian), which have statistical and organizational functions only. The vármegye was also the historic administrative unit in the Kingdom of Hungary , which included areas of present-day neighbouring countries of Hungary.

Its Latin name (comitatus) is the equivalent of the French comté. Actual political and administrative role of counties changed much through history. Originally they were subdivisions of the royal administration, but from the 13th century A.D. they became self-governments of the nobles and kept this character until the 19th century when in turn they became modern local governments. Iran The provinces of Iran are further subdivided into counties called shahrestan ( Persian : شهرستان shahrestān‎‎), an area inside an ostan , and consisting of a city centre, a few bakhsh ( Persian : بخش bakhsh‎‎), and many villages around them. There are usually a few cities ( Persian : شهر shahar‎‎) and rural agglomerations ( Persian : دهستان dehestān‎‎) in each county. Rural agglomerations are a collection of a number of villages. One of the cities of the county is appointed as the capital of the county. Each shahrestan has a government office known as Farmandari, which coordinates different events and government offices.

The Farmandar, or the head of Farmandari, is the governor of the Shahrestan. Fars Province has the highest number of Shahrestans, with 23, while Semnān and South Khorasan have only 4 Shahrestans each; Qom uniquely has one, being coextensive with its namesake county . Iran had 324 Shahrestans in 2005. Ireland The island of Ireland was historically divided into 32 counties, of which 26 later formed the Republic of Ireland and 6 made up Northern Ireland . These counties are traditionally grouped into 4 provinces - Leinster (12), Munster (6) Connacht (5) and Ulster (9). Historically, the counties of Meath , Westmeath and small parts of surrounding counties constituted the province of Mide , which was one of the "Five Fifths" of Ireland (in the Irish language the word for province, Cúige, from Cúig, five means "a fifth"); however, these have long since become the three northernmost counties of Leinster province.

In the Republic each county is administered by an elected " county council ", and the old provincial divisions are merely traditional names with no political significance. The number and boundaries of administrative counties in the Republic of Ireland were reformed in the 1990s. For example, County Dublin was divided into three: Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown , Fingal , and South Dublin - the City of Dublin had existed for centuries before. The cities of Cork and Galway have been separated from the town and rural areas of their counties. The cities of Limerick and Waterford were merged with their respective counties in 2014. Thus, the Republic of Ireland now has thirty-one 'county-level' authorities, although the borders of the original twenty-six counties are still officially in place. [6] In Northern Ireland, the six county councils and the smaller town councils were abolished in 1973 and replaced by a single tier of local government. However, in the north as well as in the south, the traditional 32 counties and 4 provinces remain in common usage for many sporting, cultural and other purposes.

County identity is heavily reinforced in the local culture by allegiances to county teams in Hurling and Gaelic football . Each Gaelic Athletic Association county has its own flag/colours (and often a nickname too), and county allegiances are taken quite seriously. See the counties of Ireland and the Gaelic Athletic Association . Italy In Italy the word county is not used; the administrative sub-division of a region is called provincia . Italian provinces are mainly named after their principal town and comprise several administrative subdivisions called comuni (communes). There are currently 110 provinces in Italy. In the context of pre-modern Italy, the Italian word contado generally refers to the countryside surrounding, and controlled by, the city state. The contado provided natural resources and agricultural products to sustain the urban population. In contemporary usage, contado can refer to a metropolitan area, and in some cases large rural/suburban regions providing resources to distant cities. Jamaica Jamaica is divided into fourteen parishes which are grouped together into three historic counties : Cornwall , Middlesex , and Surrey . Kenya Counties are the current second level political division in Kenya. Each county has an assembly where members of the county assembly (MCAs) sit. This assembly is headed by a Governor.

Each county is also represented in the Senate of Kenya by a senator. Additionally, a Women's Representative is elected from each county to the Parliament of Kenya to represent women's interests. Counties replaced provinces as the second level division after the promulgation of the 2010 Constitution of Kenya . Korea County is the common English translation for the character 군 that denotes the current second level political division in Korea. Liberia Liberia has 15 counties, each of which elects two senators to the Liberian Senate. Lithuania Apskritis (pl. apskritys) is the Lithuanian word for county. Since 1994 Lithuania has 10 counties; before 1950 it had 20. The only purpose with the county is an office of a state governor who shall conduct law and order in the county. See counties of Lithuania . New Zealand After New Zealand abolished its provinces in 1876, a system of counties similar to other countries' systems was instituted, lasting until 1989. They had chairmen, not mayors as boroughs and cities had; many legislative provisions (such as burial and land subdivision control) were different for the counties.

During the second half of the 20th century, many counties received overflow population from nearby cities. The result was often a merger of the two into a "district" (e.g. Rotorua ) or a change of name to "district' (e.g. Waimairi) or "city" (e.g. Manukau City ). The Local Government Act 1974 began the process of bringing urban, mixed, and rural councils into the same legislative framework. Substantial reorganisations under that Act resulted in the 1989 shake-up, which covered the country in (non-overlapping) cities and districts and abolished all the counties except for the Chatham Islands County, which survived under that name for a further 6 years but then became a "Territory" under the "Chatham Islands Council". Norway Norway is divided into 19 counties (sing. fylke, plur. fylke/fylker) since 1972. Up to that year Bergen was a separate county, but is today a municipality in the county of Hordaland . All counties form administrative entities called county municipalities (sing. fylkeskommune, plur.

fylkeskommunar/fylkeskommuner), further subdivided into municipalities , (sing. kommune, plur. kommunar/kommuner). One county, Oslo , is not divided into municipalities, rather it is equivalent to the municipality of Oslo. Each county has its own county council (fylkesting) whose representatives are elected every four years together with representatives to the municipal councils . The counties handle matters as high schools and local roads, and until 1 January 2002 hospitals as well. This responsibility was transferred to the state-run health authorities and health trusts , and there is a debate on the future of the county municipality as an administrative entity. Some people, and parties, such as the Conservative and Progress Party , call for the abolishment of the county municipalities once and for all, while others, including the Labour Party , merely want to merge some of them into larger regions. Poland A second-level administrative division in Poland is called a powiat . (This is a subdivision of a voivodeship , or province, and is further subdivided into gminas .) The term is often translated into English as county (or sometimes district). Romania Romania is divided into 41 jurisdictions .

A jurisdiction is called a județ . The Romanian word for county, comitat, is not currently used for any Romanian administrative divisions. Sweden The Swedish division into counties was established in 1634, and was based on an earlier division into Provinces . Sweden is today divided into 21 counties. At the county level there is a county administrative board led by a governor appointed by the central government of Sweden , as well as an elected county council that handles a separate set of issues, notably hospitals and public transportation for the municipalities within its borders. The Swedish term used is län , which literally means " fief ". Taiwan (Republic of China) County is the common English translation for the character 縣 that denotes the current first level political division in Taiwan and surrounding islands. However, provincial cities have the same level of authority as counties. Above county, there are special municipalities (in effect) and province (suspended due to economical and political reasons). There are currently 14 counties in Taiwan. United Kingdom The United Kingdom is divided into a number of metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties . There are also ceremonial counties which group small non-metropolitan counties into geographical areas broadly based on the historic counties of England .

In 1974, the metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties replaced the system of administrative counties and county boroughs which was introduced in 1889. Most non-metropolitan counties in England are run by county councils and are divided into non-metropolitan districts , each with its own council. Local authorities in the UK are usually responsible for education, emergency services, planning, transport, social services, and a number of other functions. In England, in the Anglo-Saxon period, shires were established as areas used for the raising of taxes , and usually had a fortified town at their centre. This became known as the shire town or later the county town . In many cases, the shires were named after their shire town (for example Bedfordshire), but there are several exceptions, such as Cumberland , Norfolk and Suffolk . In several other cases, such as Buckinghamshire , the modern county town is different from the town for which the shire is named. (See Toponymical list of counties of the United Kingdom ) The name "county" was introduced by the Normans , and was derived from a Norman term for an area administered by a Count (lord).

These Norman "counties" were simply the Saxon shires, and kept their Saxon names. Several traditional counties, including Essex , Sussex and Kent , predate the unification of England by Alfred the Great , and were originally more or less independent kingdoms. In Northern Ireland , the six county councils, if not their counties, were abolished in 1973 and replaced by 26 local government districts. The traditional six counties remain in common everyday use for many cultural and other purposes. The thirteen historic counties of Wales were fixed by statute in 1539 (although counties such as Pembrokeshire date from 1138) and most of the shires of Scotland are of at least this age. In the Gaelic form, Scottish traditional county names are generally distinguished by the designation siorramachd- literally "sherrifdom", e.g. Siorramachd Earra-ghaidheal (Argyllshire). This term corresponds to the jurisdiction of the sheriff in the Scottish legal system. Until 1974, the county boundaries of England changed little over time.

In the mediæval period, a number of important cities were granted the status of counties in their own right, such as London , Bristol and Coventry , and numerous small exclaves such as Islandshire were created. In 1844, most of these exclaves were transferred to their surrounding counties. In 1965 and 1974–1975, major reorganisations of local government in England and Wales created several new administrative counties such as Hereford and Worcester and also created several new metropolitan counties based on large urban areas as a single administrative unit. In Scotland, county-level local government was replaced by larger regions , which lasted until 1996. Modern local government in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and a large part of England is trending towards smaller unitary authorities: a system similar to that proposed in the 1960s by the Redcliffe-Maud Report for most of Britain. United States Counties in U.S. states are administrative divisions of the state in which their boundaries are drawn. 3,142 counties and county equivalents carve up the United States, ranging in quantity from 3 for Delaware to 254 for Texas .

Where they exist, they are the intermediate tier of state government, between the statewide tier and the immediately local government tier (typically a city, town or village). Counties have functional purposes in 48 of the 50 states; the other two states ( Connecticut and Rhode Island ) have abolished their counties as functional entities, and Massachusetts is in the process of doing so. Of these remaining 48 states, 46 use the term "county" while Alaska and Louisiana use the terms "borough" and "parish", respectively, for analogous jurisdictions. While the parochial system in Louisiana is analogous, parishes are by no means counties under another name. Depending on the individual state, counties or their equivalents may be administratively subdivided into townships , or towns in the New England states, New York , and Wisconsin . Except in New England, where strong government at the town level has historically existed since the area was settled, the township is generally subordinate to the county, which is generally subordinate to the state. Michigan, since 1947, has distinguished between "townships" (not self-governing) and " charter townships " (self-governing). In most states, municipal corporations (i.e.

cities, villages or towns) file their reports to the state through the county. In Virginia , however, all cities are independent and report directly to the commonwealth government; but notwithstanding they are not part of the county, they might operate as a county seat (e.g. the Independent City of Fairfax is the seat of Fairfax County, though it is not legally within Fairfax County). California has abolished its townships, though many general law cities continue to use the word "Town" as part of their name (e.g. "Town of Atherton" when it is, legally, the City of Atherton). Louisiana has entities roughly equivalent to counties called parishes . Alaska is divided into boroughs , which typically provide fewer local services than do most U.S. counties, as the state government furnishes many services directly. Some of Alaska's boroughs have merged geographical boundaries and administrative functions with their principal (and sometimes only) cities; these are known as unified city-boroughs and result in some of Alaska's cities ranking among the geographically largest "cities" in the world. Nevertheless, Alaska considers such entities to be boroughs, not cities.

Alaska is also unique in that more than half the geographic area of the state is in the " Unorganized Borough ", a legal entity in which the state also functions as the local government. New York has a unique system where 57 of its 62 counties are independently-operated administrative divisions of the state, with normal county executive powers; while the remaining five are administrative divisions of the City of New York . These five are each called borough in context of City government – Manhattan, The Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn, and Staten Island (formerly Richmond); but are still called "county" where state function is involved, e.g., "New York County Courthouse", not "Manhattan". The county names correlate to the borough names as follows: New York County = Manhattan , Bronx County = The Bronx , Queens County = Queens , Kings County = Brooklyn , and Richmond County = Staten Island . In two states and parts of a third, county government as such does not exist, and county refers to geographic regions or districts. In Connecticut , [7] Rhode Island [8] and parts of Massachusetts [9] [10] counties exist only to designate boundaries for such state-level functions as park districts (Connecticut) or judicial offices (Connecticut and Massachusetts).

In states where county government is nonexistent or weak (e.g., New Hampshire , Vermont ), town government may provide some or all of the local government services. Most counties have a county seat , a city, town, or other named place where its administrative functions are centered. Some counties have no incorporated municipalities, such as Arlington County, Virginia . In several instances throughout the nation, a municipality has merged with a county into one jurisdiction so the county seat is coextensive with the county, forming a consolidated city-county . Some New England states use the term shire town to mean "county seat". Ceremonial counties of England PRESENTATION ABOUT JAMAICA DESCRIPTION & HISTORY Nestled in the Caribbean Sea, 90 miles south of Cuba and 120 miles west of Hispaniola, is an island whose original name, Xaymaca, means �Land of Wood and Water� or �Land of Springs�. This name was given to the island by its earliest known inhabitants, the peaceful indigenous people, the Ta�nos who were Arawak-speaking and referred to as Arawak Indians.

Jamaica is the largest of the English speaking islands of the West Indies, boasting total land area of 4442 square miles being 145 miles long and 50 miles at its widest point. Located in the north of the Caribbean, and one of the three islands comprising the Greater Antilles, Jamaica is the third most populous English-speaking country in the Americas, after the United States and Canada, and the third largest island in the Caribbean. Jamaica, whose largest city and capital is Kingston, has fourteen (14) parishes which are grouped into three (3) counties, Cornwall, Middlesex and Surrey. Jamaica has a population of approximately 2.8 million people. Throughout its history Jamaica has been occupied by the Spanish conquistadores and the English. The island was called Santiago under Spanish possession from 1494 to 1655 with the name being later changed to Jamaica. The Spanish set up their capital called Santiago De la Vega on the South Coast of the island. This is now called Spanish Town. They used the island as a base on route to the gold rich areas of Mexico and Central America. The architecture in Spanish Town remains distinctively Spanish even today.

Admiral Penn and General Venables captured the island for England in 1655 when it became an English colony. The Spanish did little to defend the island as it did not have much significance as a source of wealth at the time. When the English captured Jamaica, the Spanish colonists fled after freeing their slaves. The slaves fled into the mountains, joining those who had previously escaped to live with the Ta�nos. These runaway slaves, who became known as the Jamaican Maroons, fought the English during the 18th century. The name is still used today for their modern descendants. During the long years of slavery Maroons established free communities in the mountainous interior of Jamaica, maintaining their freedom and independence for generations. The British West Indies Crown Colony of Jamaica remained under British rule until 6 August 1962 when it gained political independence. Its history of African slavery, European conquest, Chinese and Indian indentureship, Jewish and Syrian merchants, German and Irish immigrants made Jamaica a true melting pot and gave it the rich cultural heritage that is reflected in its music, artistic expressions, food, language and people. As a result, �Out of Many, One People�, was chosen as Jamaica�s motto.

GOVERNMENT Like St Kitts & Nevis, Jamaica, after independence, chose to be a part of the British Commonwealth, and to keep the Queen of the United Kingdom as the constitutional monarch, the titular head of the country. The Government of Jamaica is patterned on the Westminster Model of Government, and is composed of the Queen as Head of State, and a bicameral Parliament, that is, the House of Representatives as the Lower House and the Senate the Upper House. In Jamaica, the Governor General, who is appointed by Her Majesty upon the recommendation of the Prime Minister of Jamaica, represents the Queen. The Prime Minister (PM) and his Cabinet are responsible for the everyday running of the country. The PM and his Cabinet together with the Queen�s Representative form the Executive Arm of the Government. The bicameral Parliament forms the Legislative Arm of the Government. The third Arm of the Government, the Judicial Arm, is the Court System of Jamaica which is made up of the Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, Resident Magistrate Courts, Gun Court, Commercial Court, Family Court and Petty Courts. 6 August 2011 marked Jamaica�s 49th Anniversary of Independence from Britain.

There are plans already underway for the celebration of Jamaica�s 50th Anniversary of Independence in 2012. Jamaica is a full and participating member of the Caribbean Community & Common Market (CARICOM) which was established by the Treaty of Chaguaramas on 1 August 1973. Jamaica was one of the four (4) original signatories of the Treaty. There are now fourteen (14) Member Countries and two (2) Associate Member Countries that make up CARICOM, with twelve (12) other Latin American and Caribbean countries enjoying Observer Status. ATTRACTIONS In 1494 Christopher Columbus, having landed there, claimed this island for Spain. He remarked that it was �the fairest isle� he had ever seen. He was right. Jamaica is known for its remarkable natural beauty. The 7,402-foot Blue Mountains stand majestic reaching ever to the clouds. They run through the entire centre of the Island dividing the North Coast from the South Coast. The forest flourishes in the Blue Mountains.

With waterfalls, springs, rivers and streams of crystal clear water flowing from the forest-clad mountains to the fertile plains, Jamaica has one of the richest and most varied landscapes in the Region. The North Coast, with its popular resort areas of Montego Bay, Runaway Bay, Ocho Rios and Port Antonio, features fine coral beaches, cerulean (sky blue) sea and broad plains where sugar cane, coconuts and citrus fruits are grown. On the western tip of the island is Negril, once a remote, swampy outpost but now a beachcomber�s paradise. The southern region of the island offers a rugged coastline where majestic mountains plunge into the sea - like inspirational Lover's Leap in St. Elizabeth, a 1500-foot cliff of romantic legend. Jamaica is home to the 7th largest natural harbour in the world, Kingston Harbour. There are several tourist attractions scattered across the country, including Dunn's River Falls in Ocho Rios, St. Ann, YS Falls in St. Elizabeth, the Blue Lagoon in Portland and Port Royal, which was the site of an earthquake that helped form the island's Palisadoes.

CULTURE Although English is the official language of Jamaica, Jamaicans primarily speak an English-African Creole language known as Jamaican Patois, which has become known widely as a result of the spread of Reggae Music throughout the world. Though a small Nation, Jamaican culture has a strong global presence. The musical genres mento, ska, rocksteady, dub, reggae, and, more recently, dancehall and ragga all originated in the island's vibrant, popular urban recording industry. Many internationally renown artistes, groups and band members were born in Jamaica or are of Jamaican parentage including Honourable Robert Nesta Marley, Honourable Dennis Emmanuel Brown, Honourable Harry Belafonte, Peter Tosh, Bunny Wailer, The Wailers, Jimmy Cliff, Beres Hammond, Grace Jones, Beenie Man, Black Uhuru, Third World, Byron Lee & the Dragonaires, Inner Circle, Fab Five, Morgan Heritage and many others too numerous to mention. Quite an exhaustive number of novels and films have featured aspects of Jamaica. Some include James Bond�s Live and Let Die, Doctor No, For Your Eyes Only, and The Man With the Golden Gun, and The Living Daylights and Casino Royale.

James Bond�s Ian Fleming, himself has lived in Jamaica and currently owns property there. SPORTS Sports are an integral part of national life in Jamaica and the island's athletes tend to perform to a standard well above what might ordinarily be expected of such a small country. While the most popular local sport is cricket, on the international stage Jamaicans have tended to do particularly well at Track and Field, especially over the sprint distances for Track. Since Independence Jamaica has consistently produced world class athletes. Names like Yohan Blake, Usain Bolt, Veronica Campbell-Brown, Bertland Cameron, Brigette Foster-Hylton, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Deon Hemmings, Merlene Ottey, Asafa Powell, Donald Quarrie, Melaine Walker and Arthur Wint just barely scratch the surface. The list of prominent cricketers who have represented Jamaica include Jimmy Adams , Gerry Alexander , Jeff Dujon , Chris Gayle , George Headley , Michael Holding , Lawrence Rowe , Alfred Valentine , Courtney Walsh and Frank Wo rrell. Jamaica has hosted over one hundred and fifty (150) First Class Cricket Matches since its first outing in 1895.

Mike McCallum and Lennox Lewis are two of the more popular Jamaica-related names in boxing. Netball is also very popular on the island, with the Jamaica National Netball Team, the Sunshine Girls, consistently ranking in the top five in the world. Although Jamaica does not experience snow, her National Bobsled Team was once a serious contender in the Winter Olympics, beating many well-established teams. EDUCATION Education in Jamaica is free from the early childhood to secondary level. There are also opportunities for those who cannot afford further education in the vocational arena through the Human Employment and Resource Training-National Training Agency (HEART Trust-NTA) Programme and in other areas through an extensive scholarship network for the various universities. Jamaica boasts five (5) local universities and many community and teacher training colleges and a number of off-shore universities. RELIGIONS Christianity is the largest religion practised in Jamaica. The Guinness Book of Records documents Jamaica as having the most churches per square mile. According to the 2001 census, the country's largest denomination is the Church of God of Prophecy (24% of the population), with Baptists making up a good 7% of the population. Jamaica�s National Symbols 1.

The National Flag consists of a diagonal gold cross, which divides two black triangles on opposite sides of the flag, and two green triangles on the top and bottom of the flag. The black represents the strength, creativity and determination of the Jamaican people; the green represents the beauty and wealth of the natural environment of the country; and the gold, the brilliant sunshine over the land and the future hopes of the people. 2. The Jamaican Coat of Arms � the Jamaican National Motto �Out of Many One People�, based on the population�s multi-racial roots is represented on the Coat of Arms, showing a male and female member of the Ta�no tribe standing on either side of a shield which bears a red cross with five golden pineapples. The crest shows a Jamaican crocodile mounted on the Royal Helmet of the British Monarchy and mantling. 3. The National Fruit is Blighia Sapida, more commonly known as the Ackee, which is also a component of the National Dish, ackee and codfish or saltfish. 4.

The Jamaican National Bird, the Trochilus Polytmus, or the Doctor Bird, or the red-billed Streamer Tail or the Swallow Tail Hummingbird is one of the most outstanding of the 320 species of hummingbirds and is only found in Jamaica. 5. Jamaica�s National Flower, Guiacum Officinale or the Lignum Vitae, when translated from Latin means �wood of life�. 6. Jamaica�s National Tree, the Hibiscus Elatus or the Blue Mahoe is indigenous to Jamaica and grows quite rapidly, often attaining 20m (66ft) or more in height. In wetter districts it will grow in a wide range of elevations, up to 1200m (4000 ft.) and is often used in reforestation. National Anthem, Songs & Pledge The Jamaica National Anthem is the creative work of four persons - the late Reverent Honourable Hugh Sherlock, OJ, OBE; the late Honourable Robert Lightbourne, OJ; the late Mapletoft Poulle; and Mrs Poulle (now Mrs Raymond Lindo).

The National Song for Schools, I Pledge My Heart, was written by the late Honourable Victor Stafford Reid, OJ. Jamaica Land of Beauty, another National Song, was written by A. L. Hendricks with music written by Lloyd Hall. Jamaica has a National Pledge with a shorter version for Schools. Under the National Honours and Awards Act, promulgated on 18 July 1969, formal recognition of service to Jamaica and its citizens may be given by the conferment of the six (6) Orders of the Societies of Honour, and the two (2) National Awards, which are as follows: The Orders of the Societies of Honour: � The Order of National Hero � The Order of the Nation � The Order of Excellence National Heroes Jamaica has seven (7) National Heroes, whose contributions span the history of the island from slave colony to independent state. Jamaica honours men and women who fought for freedom in the hills and plantations of the island. As a result, Sam Sharpe, Paul Bogle, George William Gordon and the ineffable Nanny of the Maroons, who was said to catch bullets between her �cheeks� are honoured as National Heroes.

Jamaica honours those who tried to restore racial and cultural identity to a post slavery generation, namely Marcus Mosiah Garvey. Honoured for political statesmenship are Alexander Bustamante and Norman Washington Manley, who brought the Nation to political freedom. Information for presentation secured from various Jamaica-related websites Presented by Carol Phillips, President, Jamaican Kittitian (JamKit) Association P O Box 1770

Question: Which island is made up of three counties, Cornwall, Middlesex and Surrey?
Answer: Jamaica